RARITAN TWP. — Pete Fick, New Jersey’s winningest high school softball coach, could be sent to the showers after this, his 38th season. But Fick appeared before the board last night, June 18, to ask for one more season.

About 35 former and current ballplayers and parents came to the meeting to help Fick ask the board for one more season as head softball coach.

“In all the years I played for him, his focus was always on us — the players,” Kristen Lake told the Hunterdon Central High School board. She is a 2010 Hunterdon Central graduate and a shortstop on one of Fick’s many championship teams.

She was one of about 35 former and current ballplayers and parents who came to the meeting to help Fick ask the board for one more season as head softball coach.

Lake’s voice broke several times during her short speech, which she ended by expressing her hope the he is “allowed the opportunity to coach one more year and retire with the respect and dignity that I believe he deserves.”

Fick, 71, told the board, “I would like the opportunity to be the varsity softball coach for one more year. We’ve had two state championships, seven sectional championships, 15 bi- (and) tri-county championships, 24 consecutive league championships, 720 wins — the winningest program in the state…” He quoted praise he’d received from Athletic Director Bob Rossi and Superintendent Christina Steffner and the Hunterdon Democrat.

He distributed to the board photocopies of his uniformly “satisfactory” 2010 evaluation of his coaching and an April 10 letter from Steffner praising his achievements, including his then career win-loss record of 700-228-1. “You have done an amazing job developing a successful softball program that is part of your Hunterdon Central legacy,” she wrote.

Fick concluded his remarks to the board by saying, “I know you want a change. I would like to help you change — after I get the coaching job for next year.” This was applauded by his supporters.

Although no announcement has been made, the school board has advertised for a softball coach, and Athletic Director Rossi has said, “It looks like we’re moving on towards a new coach.”

1977 grad Debbie Dvoor Hylton of Raritan Township was another of his former ballplayers who spoke. She said when she first heard that Fick’s job was in jeopardy, she’d tried to reach him, but he didn’t reply until the season was over. “He said he wanted to finish up the softball season before replying to those concerns. This is the Mr. Fick I remember: His girls first. No matter what, his players always came first. I am happy to see he continues with the tradition, his tradition.

“From what I understand there is questionable doubt about renewing Mr. Fick’s contract… It is certainly his intention not to retire from this position at this time… As much as he has done for softball, this school, the community and the girls he coached, including me, he deserves to coach until he decides it’s time to retire…”

Three parents and an assistant coach also spoke in praise of Fick.

Then school board president John Papazian thanked all who spoke and explained, “Just by way of process, the district posts all coaching positions every year and the process is: The administration comes to the board with a recommendation. As of this time the administration has not come to the board with a recommendation, hence the board has no decision to make” yet.